walked out of jobcentre work experience

missbiggles1

fierystormcloud wrote: »

Yes of course any experience is better than none, and it will look good on your C.V. that you worked for 8 weeks doing voluntary work. But in POUNDLAND for goodness sake? How is that going to further anyone's career or life prospects? I would much rather work for an animal sanctuary or in a school or for a theatre or something. And as some people have said, it's disgusting that Poundland (and companies like them,) use people in this manner, with no intention whatsoever of offering them a job. Although I can't imagine anyone's life dream being to be the Manager of Poundland.

Also I have to add that I find it somewhere between hilarious and ludicrous that someone who has worked and 'paid into the system' for a mere 15 months, is taking the moral high ground on this thread; acting like they're superior to the OP because the OP doesn't want to take the unpaid placement at Poundland. Someone who has worked 10-15 years or more has a right to comment on people on benefits refusing to take unpaid work for 'experience;' someone who has worked for a mere 15 months, does NOT.

15 months?! I have had food in my freezer longer than that!

You might prefer it (as would I) but there are precious few jobs going for anybody in the areas you mention, particularly with no relevant qualifications. Retail, on the other hand, employs quite a few people....;)

Flyonthewall

missbiggles1 wrote: »

Well, you can certainly create self employment out of nothing - many people do.

If you haven't used your income to save or pay for insurance (I didn't either) then it's obviously too late when you become unemployed.

You still need something. Money, skills, an idea.

Not everyone has an idea and certainly not one that works and you usually need skills and money to start.

missbiggles1

marleyboy wrote: »

I think the majority in this thread are discussing and debating their rights. Backtracking posts on different, non relevant threads is merely trying to smudge the overall debate IMHO.

If the OP is getting on his/her high horse by saying that s/he's already got 4 years' retail experience when s/he's posted on another thread that s/he's got virtually none, I don't really see how you can say it's not relevant.

Flyonthewall

tomtontom wrote: »

Long term JSA is a choice for far too many. They may not think it is, but they put non existent barriers in their way - the job is too far away/ I'm overqualified/ I can't meet little Johnny from school everyday. Take that attitude into an interview and you're not going to get the job.

It's usually employers that do that, especially for being overqualified.

Too far away sometimes is true, especially for those who can't drive. Not everyone has other means of transport or the money to learn to drive and get a car. Not everyone can move closer to the job and it's stupid paying out loads if petrol and wasting half your life in a car to be far worse off.

I once went for job (think it might have been an apprenticeship) in a nearby city but they refused to interview me because they decided I was too far away for the money they were offering. What right do they have to decide that!? They did though and there was nothing I could do. They're not the only company out there doing that.

Childcare is a massive issue for many. It's not like you can just leave your kid standing alone at school gates for an hour or more while you work or just give the kid away because they're a barrier to work. Many employers try to understanding and flexible regarding that.

Barriers are not always one sided.

missbiggles1

Flyonthewall wrote: »

You still need something. Money, skills, an idea.

Not everyone has an idea and certainly not one that works and you usually need skills and money to start.

We're not talking about setting up a business empire here!

If a claimant has skills that s/he wants to sell to an employer then there's often the possibility of using those skills on your own behalf in self employment. You don't need much money or lots of skills to set yourself up as a self employed cleaner or doing garden maintenance, for example.

If all else fails, there's the perennially popular "Ebay business" - all propped up by tax credits, naturally.;)

fierystormcloud

missbiggles1 wrote: »

You might prefer it (as would I) but there are precious few jobs going for anybody in the areas you mention, particularly with no relevant qualifications. Retail, on the other hand, employs quite a few people....;)

Hmm, I suppose you have a point.

I stand by the rest of my post though.

Flyonthewall

missbiggles1 wrote: »

We're not talking about setting up a business empire here!

If a claimant has skills that s/he wants to sell to an employer then there's often the possibility of using those skills on your own behalf in self employment. You don't need much money or lots of skills to set yourself up as a self employed cleaner or doing garden maintenance, for example.

If all else fails, there's the perennially popular "Ebay business" - all propped up by tax credits, naturally.;)

I never said we were. You're not going to get off JSA walking your neighbours dog once a week for a fiver though and classing yourself as self employed.

That depends. The cost of things can add up. For some the people may have what you need, but they may not. So for garden maintence you're not going to be skipping round the garden picking up the odd leaf by hand and getting £20 an hour. You may need a leaf blower, lawn mower, spade etc. You may need knowledge of flowers too and be able to do some general labour. Payment will probably be rather low to start and you'll start with very few people to do work for and you'll need the equipment before you start.

Not everyone has the skills to set up something like that and even if they do the lack of money can stop them as it often costs more than you'd think to start up. It's fine if you have the skills and a bit of money to use, but otherwise it's just not an option.

Not to mention that competition is very high for a lot of things like that.

An ebay business requires buying stock and it's not as easy as people think. There are those who are selling for a loss and they don't even realise.

topaztiger1983

fierystormcloud wrote: »

Also I have to add that I find it somewhere between hilarious and ludicrous that someone who has worked and 'paid into the system' for a mere 15 months, is taking the moral high ground on this thread; acting like they're superior to the OP because the OP doesn't want to take the unpaid placement at Poundland. Someone who has worked 10-15 years or more has a right to comment on people on benefits refusing to take unpaid work for 'experience;' someone who has worked for a mere 15 months, does NOT.

15 months?! I have had food in my freezer longer than that!

I find your attitude ludicrous, at least I have a job unlike some people in this world, I may have only been in work for 15 months, but its my attitude to work that makes it easier for me to stay in work, I aspire to be working for the next 40 years or so

Johnnytwostep

another one spending more time thinking of how not to have to get a job than anything else.

FBaby

So really OP has little work experience and an attitude...yet think that they deserve payment.

The reality is that many unemployed people, those without any experience or who've been unemployed for a long time actually require a full-time person to be with them at almost all time for them to learn the most basic skills that mean that they could then start doing some work unsupervised.

Why would a company pay someone who is costing them more (time of the other person) than the input that person is bringing in? They should consider themselves lucky that they are being taken on in the first place.

DD is 15 is going to start volunteering working for a nursing home. She has a very good work attitude, learn quickly, and already have some skills. Still she accepts that she doesn't have enough experience to justify payment for some time. She is grateful that she'll be given an opportunity to learn on the job. One thing for certain, she would never walk out after a few hours because she doesn't get a locker because she's already learn that making a good impression is the most important first step to getting a job, clearly one of the many things it would seem OP still needs to learn because he can hope to find someone willing to give him money for his input.